One of the biggest criticisms of building an Intel system from scratch is the fact that their motherboards are almost always more expensive than competing AMD boards. The same could be said for CPU prices and memory prices, until the launch of Core 2 Duo and AM2 respectively.

With the introduction of Gigabyte's S-Series of Core 2 Duo motherboards, they aim to reach the budget Core 2 Duo buyer. By using the year-old 945P chipset, they are able to offer a board than will retail for under $100! They also offer a low-priced 965P board as well. Both boards have basic features, but should excel in overclocking.